Game Changer
by LoveforPenandDerek
Summary: Morgan and Garcia. Scenes from the first year that they knew each other. 2004.
1. Chapter 1

Premise- A look at the special moments that could have led to Derek and Penelope's bond, before the first episode of Criminal Minds ever aired. The first scene comes from the episode during season three. It flashbacks to one year before Criminal Minds started.

**Game Changer**

**Chapter One**

**2004**

_Day One_

"Hey, what's that new tech girl's name?"

"Uh..." Reid answered "Gomez, I think."

"Excuse me, Gomez." When he got no answer and she started to move away from him he changed it to "Hey, baby girl."

She slowly turned around. "Baby girl?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow and challenging him.

He quickly backtracked. "Uh, forgive me, I just didn't know the real-"

Her lips quirked into a small, teasing smile. "I've been called worse."

He simply stared back at her- glad she wasn't making a big deal out of his harmless, playful banter at her.

Her eyebrow cocked again and she moved toward him, her smile growing just a little, as she asked "What can I do for you?"

XXXXXXXXXXX

_Day Two_

"Hey," he asked her as he was fixing coffee in the break area "could you hand me some sugar?"

She paused and looked him over from head to toe.

He sure felt like he was getting the same kind of treatment that he gave women every time he went to a club. That she was looking him over like all he was good for was what was between his legs. Not that he minded it a bit.

It was a nice change to see a woman around there actually admit that he was a good looking man. He knew they all saw it but they pretended like he wasn't half as hot as he was. Even flirting with most of them barely got him a smile.

Some women around the FBI were tough as nails with not a bit of softness in them. Morgan could respect them but he also liked to treat women like women. He didn't like to pretend everyone was the same under their suits. It made life a hell of a lot more fun when there was someone around to flirt with but the FBI didn't offer too many women like that. They are were in military mode. It was drilled into them for years now: no fraternizing.

"Sure thing, sugar," she answered as she passed it to him, with just a hint of teasing in her tone letting him know the term sugar was to describe how sweet he looked and not the product in question.

"Thanks...uh....you know what I didn't catch your name yesterday. I'm Derek Morgan and you are?"

She turned toward him more fully. Her eyes shone with all this light and he found it a nice switch to have someone around there be bubbly.

"I would be the tech Goddess who is going to make your life and the life of all the people around this unit so much better for having known me."

He smirked. "Is that right?"

She nodded, her eyebrows doing that cute quirking thing again and her mouth teasing him.

He chuckled. "That's a little long for a name. What can I call you?"

"Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia, if you want to be boring about it."

He smiled. "Okay. Good to know." Derek walked off.

She didn't really linger on his mind, not at first, but every time he saw her walk by or ran into her in the hall or she sat in on a briefing he would suddenly remember: _oh yeah, she's fun_.

Then they caught a case. He had to call her and then he realized just how much fun she could truly be.

XXXXXXXXX

_Day Five _

Derek was standing in front of an abandoned building, feeling stressed out that the lead hadn't panned out and they didn't find their missing person or the unsub. He felt like he was chasing his damn tail on this case.

Gideon told him to call the tech girl so Derek had stepped outside to do that. Rubbing the back of his neck he waited for her to answer.

"This is the office of Penelope Garcia, technical Goddess at your service. Speak and be acknowledged."

"Its Morgan." He gave her the request.

"On it." A second passed and she squealed "Ohhhh, this is so uber exciting and kick ass!"

He smiled slightly. "Is it?"

"My first official phone request for information as a member of this unit. It makes my form all warm and tingly."

He chuckled, instantly feeling better. "Glad I can be of assistance."

She gave him the information he needed.

He startled. "That was quick. I thought you'd have to call me back. That's what used to always happen with the person who had your job before you."

"And that is why I am superior in every way to that mere mortal." She paused and her voice got insecure. "Oops! Sorry! Is said mortal like your best friend or something?"

"No," he laughed. "You're good, girl."

"No," she purred "I'm not a good girl."

His mouth opened a little. He was surprised by that but he liked it. "I'm catching on to that fact. Later, Garcia."

"Miss me." Click.

He looked at his phone. She was totally crazy. She dressed quirky and she wore funky jewelry. Her laugh was infectious. Her eyes roamed over his body like he was a candy bar and her banter was just too much fun to resist.

Derek could get used to working with this new member of their team. He could really get used to having her around. He walked back over to the team with a smile on his face.

Hotch asked "You get anything?"

"Yeah, Garcia said that....." They all thought he was glad for a lead not that the new girl at work was the cause of his mood improving. They would all soon learn just how much having Penelope around changed up Derek's whole attitude.

XXXXXXXXXX

_Day Nine_

He walked off the elevator to find a group of co-workers standing there talking. He noticed JJ, Hotch and the new tech girl, Garcia.

With a smirk on his lips he decided to mess with her. Give her back a little of the flirting she had been throwing at him since he went on that last case. Whenever she was on the phone she was pretty damn bold.

In person she was just all eyes, sexy painted red mouth pursed at him, and a word or two spoken in a tone that let him know: _yeah, you're hot and yeah I like that._

Derek walked up behind them and leaned close to Penelope. He stuck his mouth by her ear and said "Morning, princess."

She startled and turned around. Her face went a little red. He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked at her in a way that said: _You aren't so bold in person, are you, sexy_?

Seeing the challenge in his eyes she answered "I'll show you a good morning, Hot Stuff."

Derek sputtered, coughing and laughing all at once, especially when he saw Hotch's face. Hotch shook his head slightly, in confusion and shock at this kind of office decorum, and walked off.

JJ had a small, amused smile on her lips. She told Penelope "See you at lunch, okay?"

"Sounds great!" Penelope cried, excited that she was getting close with someone at work already.

Once they were alone Derek studied this new woman in his world. "You, Garcia, are an original."

She smiled at him. "I know," she said in this super cute voice before she walked toward the doors of the BAU.

Derek hurried to open it for her. "After you, princess."


	2. Chapter 2

Game Changer

**Chapter Two**

**2004**

_Day 30_

He didn't even notice just how often he had started to call her "Baby girl," over the phone until he did it in front of Hotch.

What happened was that Penelope always threw in these little one liners that challenged him to think up something just as good to say back. He had always loved a good challenge. Being around her fed on many of his natural inclinations: his competitive streak, his high sex drive, and his desire to be seen as a hero and a protector.

Derek had quickly started to volunteer to call her, instead of anyone else doing it, so he could hear what she would come up with that day.

Even the smallest thing could make him smile and lighten his mood. She was a cool chick. He liked her already and he wasn't the type to like anyone right away. Not as a friend. He liked plenty of women for a cheap night of sweaty sex, or a weekend or it even a few booty calls over a few months. But when it came to friends he was pretty much a loner except for the people at work.

It was different back in college- where he was a football star- and when he was in the marines and when he was a cop. Then he had brothers in arms he could count on.

Now he had that again. With his team. But that's all he had as far as real friends went and the team was still going through growing spurts at that point. He would cover their asses and give his life for theirs in a heartbeat. Still he didn't tell them his problems or share his grief.

So far he hadn't done nothing close to that with Garcia either but she was making the pain fly away with her flirting tone. She made up crazy nicknames for him and he loved it.

Then he fell into calling her these little endearments that came off his lips sweetly: baby girl, sweetness, sweetheart, babe, Goddess.

It had quickly become natural to speak to her that way. But he usually walked away from the team to make his calls.

This time her face was on the computer while they were on the jet. When she had given them the information Derek said "Thanks, baby girl. You're a goddess!"

"And you're the sexiest profiler ever born," she flirted back. "Chow, Hot Stuff."

She smiled and his lips quirked into a small grin. Then she disappeared from the screen. Derek pulled his eyes away to find Hotch giving him a long appraising look.

Reid, Elle and JJ had heard plenty of the bantering, around the break room, but Hotch was usually in his office before any of them even got to work. He hadn't noticed more than a few moments between Morgan and Garcia, all of which left him thinking maybe after she had been there a while the initial attraction would wane. Derek was not known for keeping his attention on one woman for long. But what Derek saw in Hotch's eyes was that the older man knew this was something that wasn't going away.

Now Hotch asked, in a steady tone that betrayed nothing, "Is this going to become a problem, Morgan?"

"Nope."

Hotch nodded, accepting that as the honest truth, and they moved on to talking about the case again.

XXXXXXXXXXX

_Day 53_

Derek was starting to love the feeling of having Penelope around. She always found a way to make his day better for him.

She was his unexpected comfort.

One night he was working late in the conference room, going over this old case that still got to him from back in his days as a cop in Chicago, when she walked in with two cups of coffee.

"Special delivery," she said with this teasing smile as she put the coffee down next to him. Her eyes flicked to the crime scene photos. "Oh, gruesome."

"Yeah, this was a rough one. A kid. I promised his mom I'd get him justice. Hasn't happened yet." Derek raked his hands down his face in a gesture that said he was exhausted.

"So you're looking it over again?"

"I run the prints and DNA through the system every once in a while to see if there is a hit but there hasn't been yet. I did that today and now I'm just looking it over again. For that one thing that I missed. I know its here."

"Why not do this at home on your couch where you can kick off your shoes, socks, pants...." she gave him a flirty look "and properly relax?"

"I don't take this job home with me if I can help it."

"Smart thinking."

He smiled a little as she sat down in a nearby chair and took part of the file to read. He asked "Just what do you think you're doing, Garcia? You become a cop when I wasn't looking?"

She grinned back at him. "I'm helping. Maybe fresh eyes is all you need."

"Yeah," he said, sighing again. "Maybe."

They ended up staying there for hours. There was nothing new to find in that file but there was plenty to learn about each other still.

XXXXXXXXXXX

_Day 70 _

The team finally talked her into going to the bar with them for the first time. Derek found himself pretty happy about that fact.

He was finally about to see his favorite flirting partner outside of work. Everyone had been asking if him and Garcia were gonna hook up. His typical answer was a smile and "Wouldn't you love to know?" but the truth was he didn't know yet.

It was a bad idea to screw around with anyone at work. He wanted to rise through the ranks of the FBI and getting involved with someone at work, having it turn messy and embarrassing when she wanted more than a fling and he moved on, did not seem like a good idea to him.

No one tempted him that seriously till Garcia came around anyway. If he met her in a bar he so would have taken her home. But they had to work together so he figured it was probably not gonna happen.

But he wasn't completely sure yet because everyday made him get more into her. She turned him on. She made him laugh. She was the fun part of his life. His little sparkler, ray of sunshine, piece of happiness that never failed to make things better.

Since he did like her and respect her though it wouldn't be right to screw her and dump her. Make her get pissed at him and stop flirting. See he wasn't a good guy. Lose her crush on him.

Sleeping with her would be great and then it would led to misery. He knew how it went. That's why he didn't sleep with chicks he worked with.

Still...he wanted her...and he was trying to convince himself there was some way to have her for a night or two and not mess up their lives.

He bought the first round of drinks for the table. He walked straight over there after they came in. He knew what everyone liked.

When Derek came back he gave her the drink he got her. "Here you go, sexy."

Her eyes widened. "How did you know I drink this?"

"Garcia, who are you talking to?"

"I really hate profilers sometimes."

"You're breaking my heart, sweet girl."

"I'm sorry, sugar lips, but I don't like anyone creeping through my brain without permission. If you saw a go signal for profiling me your radar must be on the fritz."

"I didn't profile you, baby girl. You mentioned this drink before."

"I did? When?"

He wasn't about to admit how he could remember just about every word she ever said to him and where they were when she said it so he answered "I don't know. Sometime. Are you interrogating me, Garcia? I thought I'm the one who does that? Come on...drink up...I want to dance and you're gonna be my partner."

"Sorry, cupcake. No can do. I don't dance."

He whined at her "Come on now. You know you're not passing up your chance to get your hands on all this fineness, are you, woman?"

"Sugar, if I get my hands on you we need to be alone because it would surely become x-rated fast."

Hotch choked on his drink. JJ laughed. Reid gulped.

Elle said to Derek "I'll dance with you."

He pointed at Penelope. "You will give me a dance before this night is over, baby girl."

She shooed him away and he went to dance with Elle. Penelope didn't ever give him that dance. He was still waiting on it till this day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Game Changer**

**Chapter Three**

**2004**

_Day 100_

"So, girl, what you got planned to do during our off time?" Derek asked Penelope, as he hung around her office one day.

He found himself spending more time in here than any other member of the team. Whenever he needed a little boost or stress relief he would go see his baby girl.

As the days went by he found that their flirting got more and more outrageous but also that they were both coming to realize it probably was just going to end at flirting. In a way that was sad for them and in another it was freeing. Derek was able to stop worrying about if he was going to screw the new girl at work and derail his career. And they became a safe place for each other.

They were just abou to have their first two weeks of vacation time since she started. He was heading to his hometown to see his mom and sisters. Derek was a little concerned though because he used to love when he could fly back to Chi-town. He got as excited as a kid on Christmas.

This time he was a little more subdued.

_Would she find it pathetic if I call her from there_? he wondered.

He couldn't imagine two weeks with no baby girl in his life. He told himself to man up. He got by just fine before he met her, didn't he? He could do two weeks without flirting. He would go to clubs, get laid, and hardly miss Garcia a bit....right? Right!

He didn't really believe it but he knew he had to convince himself it was true. It was kinda scary to know it was just a lie he fed himself to get through this. Why was it affecting him so much that he had to be separated from her?

She answered "I'm not on the same vacation schedule as you so sadly I have to toil away here while you are out in the fun and sun. What's on your agenda for your time off? Or should I say, sex God, who is on your agenda?"

He grinned at her. "Its not one woman but three."

Her mouth made an O. He got all these dirty thoughts about what she could do with that mouth if he took her home with him one night....that is if she would go. She probably would have when they first met but everyday changed things. They were becoming complicated.

Feelings were getting involved. A weird sensation for Derek.

Penelope cooed, wide eyed, "Three? Oh my. You do know how to make my heart race. And just what will you do with these three women that you can't do with your baby girl? Are whips and chains involved?"

"You have such a dirty mind, Garcia."

"Complaints now, Hot Stuff?"

"Hell no, just saying."

"Come on, give it up to your baby girl. Tell me the kinky truth behind your vacation plans. Will you put those handcuffs to good use?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, girl. I'm going to see my mom and sisters."

"Oh, that's sweet, handsome. Have fun and try not to cry yourself to sleep too often because you miss me so desperately."

He laughed at that but he would miss her. He just didn't know how much till it was ten days later, he was standing across the street from the youth center, and he wanted her there to give him a reason to smile.

In that moment he had decided he could only have so much with Garcia. She couldn't save him from himself and he couldn't let her think he was going to be her man.

Nope. They could flirt. They had to do that. He needed it, liked it, and craved it too bad to give up. But they couldn't date.

Looking at that youth center reminded him why he didn't believe in love. Looking in Garcia's deep, dark, full of life and laughter eyes reminded him why he couldn't just screw her for the hell of it.

XXXXXXXXXX

_Day 112_

Just two days till they went back to work after their vacation time but he could not take it anymore. He had to hear her voice.

Derek was sitting on the steps of his mom's apartment building. He spent plenty of time there as a kid. Seeing how the neighborhood was going down hill a little more everyday depressed him.

This is where he was from. He should do something to help this area but he knew he wouldn't. It was hard to be here. Hard to remember.

Moving to Virginia had been something that made him feel better than he had in a long time. Like when he was in college and the marines, he was out of this neighborhood. Away from the bad memories.

He always said he didn't need anyone to talk to about the abuse he suffered as a teenager but with the images flashing in his mind and his eyes going to the kids playing basketball nearby....which one of them was Buford destroying these days?....Derek did need to release some of his pain.

He dialed her number. It was a Saturday so she was off work. The second the phone started ringing in his ear he felt a little better. He imagined her hearing his ring tone- which changed as new songs came on the radio but was always something hip hop or rap related.

"Its your Goddess, speak to me, my delicious piece of man candy."

He chuckled, though there was still hurt in his tone, "Hey there, baby girl, how you holding up with the sexiest part of your life a thousand miles away?"

"I'm surviving on wet dreams but I'd much prefer the real thing."

He choked on his tongue. She was so wild but he loved it. "I'm sure you would, sweetness."

"How are you holding up with your sugar lips so far away? And, the better question is, how many times have you screamed my name in some other woman's ear?"

His gut clenched. "Behave, Garcia. I'm standing on a public street. You want me to look like a pervert when your sexy mouth has an effect on me?"

"Ohhhhh, I have an effect on you, do I?! Well you have an effect on me too, Hot Stuff. Too bad its off limits for us to do anything about it. I guess I'll get by on my steamy nightly fantasies and you'll keep pretending those legs wrapped around you belong to a Goddess instead of a skinny little twig barely shapely enough for you to know she is a woman at all."

He laughed. "So you think I can't find a good woman if I'm not with you?"

"I don't think. I know. I'm the Oracle of All Knowing after all. Of course if we didn't work together that would be a different story entirely but, alas, we'll always have the BAU....even if it isn't Paris."

"You're so silly, girl."

"And you're so sexy. What's your point?"

He chuckled again. "Well I just called to make sure you weren't crying your pretty eyes out over missing me."

"Didn't we already establish you would be the one crying over me?"

"You wish, Garcia."

"Oh, I do wish, you chocolate God. I do wish so that you were not forbidden fruit because I have a taste for some candy right now. The things I could do if I got my tongue on you.....would make you weep tears of joy."

"Woman, you keep this up and they will have to register your mouth as a lethal weapon!"

She giggled. "You bring it out of me."

"You better only use that filthy mouth on me, you hear me?"

"Or else what?"

"I'll spank you for stepping out on me."

She laughed. "I just might have to go find myself a date tonight then so I can get my spanking Monday morning. I'll wear my favorite panties if its going to be a big day like that."

Derek was losing his mind over the images she put in his head. He wore a big smile. "Garcia, watch yourself! You're such a naughty girl. I told you I'm in public."

"Your problem. Not mine. You know you need privacy to talk to me."

"I'm hanging up now. You have a good night, sweetheart."

"Have fun with your family."

"Thanks, I will."

"Bye, Morgan."

"Chow, baby!" He waited for her to hang up but she didn't.

He heard her sigh. Then he asked "Garcia?"

"Oh! Bye then!"

He smiled as she disconnected the call. In his head he thought _I miss you, too_.


	4. Chapter 4

**Game Changer**

**Chapter Four**

**2004**

_Day 143_

He came off the elevator feeling like the world was a sick freaking place and he hated it. The case was all about teen boys being molested by a sadist freak who then encouraged them to kill themselves. Two did it and that made Derek so pissed he couldn't see straight.

Never before had Garcia been waiting as he walked off the elevators. She must have had security alert her when the team came in the building.

The team stalled in their tracks. No one said anything to her.

The moment was thick with tension as Derek stood there, looking emotionally beat down, and staring in her eyes. He knew she could tell from all their phone calls where his mind was at during this case.

The rest of the team walked off as Derek walked close to Penelope. He didn't trust his voice in that moment so he just looked in her eyes.

And she hugged him. Their first hug.

From then on everyone knew they were best friends and a lot more than just flirting partners.

XXXXXX

_Day 227_

"Merry Christmas, princess!" Derek called out as Penelope walked into the office party. "Are you going to give me some sugar for my present?"

"You couldn't handle getting any sugar from me. You just might die before the New Year if I gave you some."

"Die from joy."

She raised her eyebrow at him and dead panned "From exhaustion."

Reid asked "When will this end?" to Gideon.

Gideon replied "Some things have no natural end."

Derek drug Penelope under the mistletoe. She startled and blushed. He brushed a kiss on her cheek, the first time he ever did that, lingering for a long moment and then whispering in her ear "I got you a present, baby girl. Lets go to your office."

She nodded and headed that way quickly. He smiled. It looked like she wanted some breathing room from him. Being close to him got to her. He liked knowing that.

For all their time together- in the conference room late at night, at the bar, on the phone, hanging in her office- he still was learning things about her and still wasn't sure about how she felt about him. Sometimes he thought she had a wild crush on him. Other times he thought she was happy enough with the way things were. He never felt like she would be "lucky" to have him into her cause he was so damn great and she was just a geeky girl who loved her computer and Star Trek. She sometimes alluded to that being the case and, when she did, he would work overtime with the flirting to try and convince her that was far from the truth.

One of these days, he vowed, she would know just how absolutely amazing he found her. She'd have no doubts she was the light in his world. One day. Somehow he'd let her know she was the woman who made him see good on the worst days.

Derek walked into her office a minute after her. He had stopped at his desk to get her gift.

She was back to her sparkly self. She cried "I got you something too, Hot Stuff!" She handed him a card and a present.

He opened the card and saw it was made on the computer. It had a picture of the whole team on the front of it. It was a day they celebrated JJ's birthday in the office.

Inside it said: _Merry Christmas from someone who thinks you rock hardcore, you hunk of studly man flesh._

He laughed so hard his stomach hurt. She was adorable and funny all at once. He couldn't imagine his life without her now.

He asked her "Studly man flesh? Really, Garcia?"

"What?" she teased "Are you disputing that?" She touched his arm. He looked at the place where she was touching him...thinking, wondering, warning....she let go.

Penelope gave him his gift next. He shook it. "Hmmm......whips and chains?"

"Don't you wish, Hot Stuff!"

"No, not really."

She pouted.

He went on "My baby girl deserves to be treated better than that, don't you think?"

She smiled. "Open your present already. It will be 2005 before you do it at this rate!"

"Before I do you? Is there an offer on the table, Garcia?"

"Do it, I said." Their eyes locked on each other. "Derek...open your present and stop giving me that look."

"What look?"

"The I-want-Christmas-nookie look."

He laughed. "Garcia! You imagine things!"

"Sure I do, hotness."

He opened his present. It was a set of Star Trek DVDs. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Watch it. Learn it. Love it."

"I can't do anything with this, baby girl."

"Sure you can. It's the key to knowing more about what I like and you want to know how to please me, don't you?"

"When you put it that way, mama, I love it. Thank you." He gave her the present he had for her.

She opened it. It was a box full of clothes that all had Chicago written on it. He bought it when he was home earlier in the year and missing her.

He said "JJ gave me your size so if its wrong then take it out on her not me." He threw his hands up.

She looked at the clothes. "Are you trying to brand me or something, Morgan?"

"What do you mean?"

She just smirked at him. "This is like writing your name on me. You get that, right?"

"What? It is not! Its just some sweat shirts, jacket and a hat. Don't try and be a profiler. It's a Christmas present, baby girl. If you don't like it-"

"I like it. I'll think of you whenever I wear any of it."

He stared deep in her eyes. "Good."

"Thank you, sweetness."

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

"Going home for Christmas?"

"Not this year."

"Why not? You can't just sit here all alone."

"We don't have enough time off to make it worth it. Just three days."

"So what are you doing instead?"

"I'll come up with something. What about you?"

"Something, I'm sure. Hanging out with JJ, probably. She wants me to go to her parents place in Pennsylvania but I don't want to intrude."

"You get bored you call me."

She grinned. "Seeing you outside of work all alone?"

She brushed her hand over his chest and he felt shivers race down his spine.

He teased her "Don't get any naughty thoughts in your head. We'll see a movie or something."

"Rated R?"

He laughed. "You are relentless! Its Christmas, woman. A holy time of year."

"I'm sorry. Are you very religious?"

"Not very. And, besides, even God knows that you can't help yourself when you get around me."

"That's true. Luckily you can't help yourself either."

"Oh, I could, if I wanted. I got reserves you know nothing about, Garcia. I could outlast you in a No Flirting Contest."

She stuck out her hand. "Bet?"

"What?"

"See who lasts longer. Absolutely no flirting or nicknames."

"Are you serious?"

"Are you scared?"

He shook her hand. "Baby girl, you're going down."

"You lose!" She smiled and walked out.

He chased after her. "What?! What did I say?"

"We said no nick names."

"I didn't know we had started yet, sweetheart."

"You lose, again!"

"Garcia-"

She walked into the party. "Hey, everyone, guess what just happened between me and Morgan?"

He clamped his hand over her mouth. "Carry on. She's a little tipsy."

Penelope giggled against his hand.

XXXXXXX

_Day 228_

Derek opened the container that held his Star Trek movie. He planned to check it out and see if he could stand watching it. The DVD inside was not Star Trek though. It was Training Day.

He laughed. His baby girl got him something she knew he would like. But she also told him what she liked and to learn about it. If he did he would show her he cared about her in a way that went deeper than flirting. He decided then he would watch all the Star Trek he could stomach.

For his baby girl.


	5. Chapter 5

**Game Changer**

**Chapter Five**

**2005**

_Day 300_

His first long term, for him, fling after he met Penelope didn't go so well. It lasted two months but he was vaguely aware the whole time that Farrah was great but not....her.

Not his baby girl.

Derek ended up feeling like he had screwed up his life. He wasn't ready to settle down and yet he wasn't having as much fun with any woman but Penelope. After that he started to brood on the idea: _Should I just go for it with her_?

That was until the day she told him about her mother's second marriage.

Derek was in a bad mood, talking down about love, when she said "You just haven't been with the right woman, yet, sweetness. Everything happens for a reason. You have to go through the hard times to get to the good ones. That's what happened to my mom. She finally got her dream come true when she found my step father. We were the perfect family for a while there. It will probably never happen for me but I'd like to have just a sliver of the magical love she had with him....You could have that one day, too. Its not love that you hate. Its being without the one you are meant to love. Take it from me. I saw it up close and personal and it was a beautiful thing to witness."

He winced. "So you wanna get hitched then one day?"

"Oh my!" she teased "Careful how you phrase things. I could be off booking tickets to Vegas before you get the last word out."

He laughed but it was with sadness. "You wish, Garcia. Keep dreaming, gorgeous."

"Dreams come true everyday."

"Yeah right."

"It happened for my mother. I doubt it will happen for me though. I'm just not that woman."

"Baby-"

"You're that guy though. You can get all that and more anytime you want it."

"You're seeing what you want to see and not what's right in front of you. Everyone who knows me knows I'm not that guy." He headed for the door of her office. "See you later, babe."

As he walked away he knew that she deserved that fairytale she dreamt about, even if she didn't think she could have it, and that he wasn't ready to be her prince charming. He vowed to never kiss her till he could look in her eyes and say "I love you," and truly mean every syllable in a way that would promise her more than just a fling.

In a way that could give her the dreams in her heart- the ones she was afraid to even dream.

After that he was decided: _I'm not going for her anytime soon_.

Knowing that freed a burden weighing him down. He went back to flirting shamelessly with her and sleeping around. Life was as good as he could expect it to get considering the boundaries he put on himself: no love, no romance, no commitment, just sex and work and friends. Fun.

For now it was enough.

XXXXXXXXXX

_Day 366_

Penelope walked into the coffee shop with a wide smile on her lips. Derek was already there, sitting at a table, and he stood when she came over.

He motioned at a cup. "I got you one already. Want a muffin, muffin?"

"Cute! And no, I'm fine." He helped slipped her coat off her. She sat down. "So....is this a date?"

He choked on his coffee and she laughed.

Derek said "Dream on, Garcia."

"I think you are the one who dreams of being with a Goddess, any mere mortal would."

"Any man would, you're right. Any guy would dream about getting you here for coffee too. But I'm the only man who has you here right now, sweetheart, so I guess its my day to make my dreams come true."

"Is it now? Lucky you."

Their eyes were both lit up. He gave her a key chain that had Baby Girl engraved on it and a pair of earrings in her funky style.

She asked, in a knowing tone, "My oh my, whatever could this be to celebrate?"

"Hush, woman."

She reached into her purse and gave him another computer generated card. This one had a picture of them under the mistletoe that JJ took at Christmas, when Derek kissed her cheek but lingered for a long minute, whispering in her ear. Inside she wrote: Days go by but you just keep getting sweeter, sweet man of mine.

There were also tickets inside to a concert.

He smirked at it. "Man of yours, Garcia?"

"Its just a nickname."

"Sweet man of mine. Baby, I'm not sweet."

"And you're not mine."

His eyes were lit up when he asked "After just one year? Do you think I'm some kind of slut or something?"

She started laughing so loud that people looked at them. They went to the concert together a month later, as friends.

XXXXXXXXXX

May 2010

_Day 2190 _

Penelope lay on her back in bed next to Derek, her face flushed, her chest heaving, barely able to get a full breath in.

He was panting too. His head turned and he looked at her. He brushed some hair off her sweat slicked forehead. "Hey, silly girl,......that was just as hot....as you always promised it would be."

She bolted from the bed and started to get dressed.

Derek jerked upright. "Just where do you think you're going?" he hissed out.

"We did this without thinking."

He got up and jerked on his underwear and then went over to her. "Baby girl,"he took her hands so she had to stop getting dressed "just slow down.....First off, you live here so if anyone should leave it should be me."

She looked around. "You're right. Go home. We'll talk later after I think about what the hell I'm doing by cheating on my fiancee."

"You know what you're doing. You're fixing your life."

"Derek." Her eyes searched his.

She had called him over to tell him she was engaged. She wanted to break it to him outside of work. He got tears in his eyes and she found her hands on his cheeks, trying to comfort him, as he stood there attempting to fight off all his emotions but losing the battle.

He had asked "Can you answer me one thing, baby girl? Why did you pick him over me? I just got to know. Why did I stop being enough for you? You're still everything for me."

Whispering over and over "I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry, baby," she kissed him and they started to walk backwards toward her bedroom, falling into the bed she had been with Kevin so many times.

But nothing with Kevin ever felt a fraction of what she just had with Derek.

He told her now "I'm not leaving unless you tell me you don't love me more than you love him. Tell me that and I'm gone, baby girl."

"Derek, please! I'm engaged!"

He pulled her close, wrapping her in his arms, "Not anymore, baby girl. You're mine now. I'm not telling you its okay to break my heart another time. Its not. I screwed up when we met by not kissing you that first day. You're screwing up now by thinking you can never kiss me again. Lets stop screwing up the best thing to ever come our way.....and lets make love again.....Make love to me, sweetheart. Make love to the only man you should ever think about marrying."

Tears streamed down her face. "Careful with your words, I just may think you're serious and then where would we be?"

"Right where we should be, Penelope." He leaned close, until his lips almost touched hers, "Come on now, Gomez, you know you want me so bad you can taste it."

She smiled and closed the gap. When he was right, he was right.

THE END


End file.
